he might get
possession of his vessels and of his troops.

Besides these they brought many similar charges against Cortes, so that
his majesty was excessively annoyed, imagining that all they said was
true, and he would not listen to any more, telling them that these
accusations were quite sufficient.

During this audience, Narvaez, with his stentorian voice, was heard to
express himself as follows: "Your majesty can easily imagine how matters
went with me on the night that Cortes attacked and defeated me; for when
his men thrust out one of my eyes, and I found my quarters all in
flames, I quickly secreted the deed by which I held my appointment from
your majesty, between my cuirass; but one of Cortes' officers took these
papers forcibly from me, nor could I obtain possession of them again.
They even spread the rumour that I had no appointment at all, but that
the papers they took from me were bonds of some kind or other."

The emperor could not help laughing at what Narvaez said, but promised
that he and the others should have justice done them. His majesty then
appointed a commission from the gentlemen of his court and of his privy
council, in whose honesty he could place the most implicit confidence to
make inquiries into the several charges, and to pronounce judgment upon
them. The names of the gentlemen who composed this commission were:
Mercurio Catarinario,[39] high chancellor of Italy; senor la Chau; the
doctor de la Rocha; Hernando de Vega, who was lord of Grajales and
comendador-mayor of Castile; the doctor Lorenzo Galindez de Caravajal,
and the licentiate Vargas, who was treasurer-general of Castile. His
majesty desired these gentlemen to make the most minute investigation
respecting the dispute between Velasquez and Cortes, and also into the
present charges which were preferred against the latter; and
particularly recommended them to have no regard to persons, but to give
their decision in conformity with strict justice. These gentlemen then
assembled in the house of the high chancellor, and ordered Narvaez, with
his three companions and the agents of Velasquez into their presence. In
the same way they cited before them Martin Cortes, the licentiate Nunez,
Montejo, and Ordas. These latter gentlemen being made acquainted with
the several charges which had been prepared against Cortes, replied to
the following effect:

That with regard to the assertion, that Velasquez was the first
discoverer of New Spain,